The Macallan 12 Year Old vs. The Balvenie 12 Year Old: A battle between two of the most gifted whiskies in the world. Both brands have established reputations and are trusted by everyday drinkers and collectors alike.
But which one is actually better? I’ll be comparing both whiskies on the nose, palate, and finish, tasting them neat and with water. I’ll also look at how they compare on price, and whether the more expensive bottle really delivers better value. Although I bet you can all guess how that will go.
The Macallan 12 Year Old Sherry Oak: Rich, Sweet, And Unmistakably Macallan
Neat
Macallan 12 Sherry Oak has one of the most distinctive noses in the world. It’s rich with chocolate orange, raisins, caramel, and vanilla, perhaps even a little ginger as well. It’s sweet, rich, and very welcoming.
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READ THE STORYIt’s worth pointing out that Macallan 12 Sherry Oak is fully matured in sherry-seasoned oak casks, rather than being finished in them. That makes a real difference to the overall character.
The Macallan 12 is as rich on the palate as it comes across on the nose. Lots of treacle toffee, milk chocolate, orange, and slightly sulphury sherry notes, but for me, that’s a classic characteristic of many Macallan bottlings.
It’s got a sweet, sticky sherry feel to everything and finishes with these lovely caramel notes. The finish itself is like a warming hug of sherry and sweet dessert flavors.
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With Water
With water, Macallan loses quite a bit of its sweetness and becomes a little thinner on the nose.
However, it handles water better on the palate. Those chocolate and caramel notes are still there, and the whisky feels a little denser, even with water added. The alcohol does become slightly more noticeable, though.
The finish doesn’t stick around quite as long with water, but overall, Macallan 12 holds together reasonably well. I’d still recommend drinking it neat.
The Balvenie 12 Year Old DoubleWood: Honey, Fruit, And A Lighter Touch
Neat
The Balvenie 12 Year Old DoubleWood has plenty of sweetness, but it leans in a different direction from Macallan. It’s more honey and barley-oriented, with the bourbon casks doing most of the heavy lifting. There’s coconut and some lovely apple notes as well.
Unlike Macallan, Balvenie spends most of its maturation in ex-bourbon casks before being finished in sherry casks. It’s a different approach, and you can certainly taste the difference.
The Balvenie is lighter, but still has a sweet, rich profile that stands out in its own way.
On the palate, Balvenie 12 sticks to its core principles. Lots of honey and fruity sweetness, without the sherry influence feeling too dominant. It adds a little red fruit and milk chocolate around those coconut and honey notes.
Classic Balvenie in every way: mellow, soft, and sweet. The finish is short, but it’s full of everything at once. Honey, coconut, toffee, fudge, and apples. With a slightly higher ABV, it could stick around a little longer and be more impressive.
Again, the sherry isn’t dominant here. It feels a little weaker than I’d like, and I think it needs more to compete with Macallan 12.
With Water
Water actually brings out more of Balvenie’s honey character on the nose, although some greener, herbal notes also appear, which I wasn’t expecting.
Unfortunately, those herbal notes become much more prominent on the palate. They come across as quite bitter, and the whisky starts to feel as though the wood hasn’t had as much impact as you’d want. Possibly tired casks?
The finish also fades away with water. Balvenie really loses much of the presence it had to begin with.
For me, this is a whisky that should absolutely be enjoyed neat.
The Macallan 12 Year Old vs. The Balvenie 12 Year Old: Is The $30 Difference Worth It?
Macallan 12 Sherry Oak will set you back a hefty $90 a bottle. We knew Macallan wouldn’t be a cheap purchase, but the brand certainly leads the way when it comes to luxury appeal.
Balvenie 12 DoubleWood can be found for around $60 a bottle, making it a third cheaper. On paper, that’s a pretty significant saving.
However, I do feel that Macallan delivers more in the glass. It’s richer, denser, and has a more distinctive sherry character. It also handles water better, although neither whisky particularly benefits from it.
That $30 price gap is a lot of money, but in the current world of whisky marketing, Macallan also has a clear advantage when it comes to brand recognition and luxury appeal.
Balvenie, meanwhile, doesn’t seem to be doing much to attract customers away from bigger brands. It’s a respected name, but where is the appeal beyond the whisky itself?
Which Is The Better Dram? Macallan Takes It
I have to say that Macallan 12 Sherry Oak takes this one.
It’s an expensive bottle, and it will cost you more at the checkout, but I do think it delivers more to the drinker for that higher price. Although I really do wish they’d make their bottles more affordable.
Balvenie 12 DoubleWood is still a good whisky, but it doesn’t quite have the depth or richness to compete. I also think it suffers more when water is added, with those bitter herbal notes becoming far too prominent.
You could think about getting The Macallan 12 Double Cask instead, but its profile is much closer to Balvenie 12. For me, it’s a little thin and a little lost.
If I’m spending my own money on one of these two bottles, it’s Macallan 12 Sherry Oak.
Which Is The Better Gift? Macallan Wins Again
Again, it pains me to say it, but Macallan is the winner here too.
It is more expensive, but Macallan clearly wants you to give its bottles as gifts. As irritating as the brand’s marketing can sometimes be, it’s certainly effective. It paints a vivid, luxurious picture, and that makes Macallan an attractive choice when you’re buying for someone else.
But where is Balvenie? What are they doing? Why should you buy their product over someone else’s?
These are questions that need answering, particularly if Balvenie 12 DoubleWood is supposed to be one of the foundations of the brand.
Macallan has made itself a go-to choice for gifting, and Balvenie simply doesn’t have the same appeal in that respect.
Neither Bottle Convincing You? Buy GlenAllachie 12 Year Old Instead
I can meet you somewhere in the middle of these prices and suggest a bottle of GlenAllachie 12 Year Old.
In this clash between Macallan 12 and Balvenie 12, one is cheaper but isn’t as impressive as it once was. The other is tasty and classic, but you’re paying a premium for the brand.
GlenAllachie offers an opportunity to spend a little more than you would on Balvenie, without going over the top. You’re getting great-quality, sherry-influenced whisky from a highly regarded producer, without the need for all that luxury marketing.
It’s an alternative I’d seriously consider before spending $90 on The Macallan 12 Year Old.
The Macallan might have won this particular battle, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the bottle I’d recommend buying.
